Pump



.Pebl 2, 1932. Ni. PERSONS 1,843,371

'I PUMP Feilen March s. v1926 CLM, f

Patented Feb. 2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LAWRENCE M. PERSON S, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO COOK ELECTRIC COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS PUMP Application led Hatch 3, 1926. Serial No. 91,912.

My invention relates to an automatic control for fluid supply systems employed to pump liquid into a supply tank or receptacle and is particularly directed to the automatic controlling of a pumping apparatus which insures greater protection and safety, as well as cause the necessary automatic starting and stopping operations.

In order to apprise those skilled in the art how to construct and practice my invention,

I shall now describe a preferred embodiment thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic View of a fluid supply system embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the pump and control, and

2o Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the suction line between the source of supply and the pump.

It will be observed that the preferred embodiment of my invention comprises an oil burning system which is particularly employed for domestic purposes; as for instance,

heating homes and other similar buildings. It will be understood, nevertheless, that my invention may be embodied in any type of liquid fuel feeding system or in any type of fluid system adapted for pumping a liquid from a source of supply into a supply tank or receptacle.

In the apparatus shown inthe drawings, the oil or liquid in the storage tank 5, or other source of supply, is drawn through a pipe 6 by means of a pump 7 and discharged through an outlet pipe 8 into a tank or receptacle 9. From receptacle 9 the liquid fuel is fed through a pipe 10 to the burner 11. Burner 11 is preferably o f the type employing a motor driven blower 12 for feeding the liquid fuel in an atomized condition to the re pot 13. As is customary in this type of oil burner, a trip bucket 14 is connected to a switch 15 in the circuit to the motor 16. In the event that ignition fails when the liquid fuel is initially fed to the fire pot 13, due to the fact that the pilot light or other ignition means may fail, the liquid fuel drains from the fire pot by way of pi e 17 into the trip bucket 14. `'Ihe weight o the liquid fuel in trip bucket 14 causes the switch 15 to actuate and automaticallyvopen the circuit tothe motor.

In the normal operation of the system, pump 7 operates automatically to pump liquid fuel into tank 9. The motor circuit is controlled byv a room thermostat 20, and consequently, the pump 7 will be driven by the motor of the burner as long as the burner is in operation. y

In order to control the pumping of fuel into receptacle 9, so that it will not be supplied at a greater rate than consumed, a control in the yform'of a float-operated air valve 21 is provided. Valve 21 is preferably at the end of a stem 22 which is carried by two collars 24 supported from a pair of pivotally mounted levers V25`carried by the depending brackets 26.

vA float 27 is adapted to rise and fall on stem 22 and thereby open and close valve 21 which is adapted to control an air passage 28 connected to a pipe 29. The opposite end of this pipe 29 may be connected to any suitable point along the suctionpipe 6. It is preferable, however, to make this connection to pipe 6 at a point higher than the reservoir 5. In the drawings I have shown pipe 6entering the strainer housing 30 to communicate with the upper portion of the interior chamber 31. v

In they normal operation of the oil burner, liquid fuel is pumped into tank 9 and, as soon as a high level is obtained, Hoat 27 engages the levers 25 to lower the valve to open position. Air is then permitted to vent through pipe 29 into the suction line 6, and thereby stop the flow of liquid fuel from the reservoir into the receptacle 9.

The pump may continue to operate but the air vented into the suction line destroys the suction' pressure and prevents the normal flow of the liquid fuel. y y

When the liquid level in receptacle 9 lowers so as to carry float 27 to an intermediate position the weighted levers 25 moves valve line 6 and pump 7 is again effected to pump liquid fuel from reservoir 5 into receptacle 9. The suction pressure will remain established as long as float 27 remains in its intermediate position. If the float should rise as the result of the liquid fuel being fed into receptacle 9 at a rate greater than consumed, or withdrawn therefrom, the float 27 rises or lowers the limit of its movement to open valve 21, whence the suction pressure will be broken due to the venting of air into thc suction line 6.

It will be observed that a stop 35 is fixed to the lower end of float stem 22. Stop 35 is adapted to receive float 27 when the latter drops to its lower position in receptacle 9. This action occurs in the event that liquid fuel is entirely Withdrawn from receptacle 9, or iswithdrawn at a rate greater than consumed by burner 11. It has been the experience of those skilled in the art that pipe 10 interconnecting receptacle 9 and burner 11 is apt to be ruptured or spring a leak and thereby discharge the liquid fuel pumped into receptacle 9 on the floor. Under ordinary conditions the pump would continue to pump liquid fuel from the storage tank 5 into receptacle 9 as long as the liquid fuel is being withdrawn from receptacle 9. In order to stop the flow of liquid fuel automatically in the event that pipe 10 should be ruptured or spring a leak or should withdraw fuel from receptacle 9 at a greater rate than the normal rate, the weight of float 27 against stop 35 will move float stem 22 downwardly and through the weighted levers 25 open valve 21.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the float controlled air valve 21 functions to stop the flow of liquid fuel through suction pipe 6 when float 27 is in its upper position, to start the flow of liquid fuel through suction pipe 6 when float 27 is in its intermediate position, and to stop the flow of liquid fuel through suction pipe 6 when float 27 is in its lower position. Or, it might be said that valve 21 functions to stop the flow of liquid when reaching upper or lower levels and to start the flow 0f liquid when reaching an intermediate level.

Should the suction pipe 6 orair pipe 29 be ruptured or spring a leak, the flow of liquid fuel is immediately stopped, due to the fact that the suction pressure is destroyed. Hence, every element of safety is embodied in the automatic control disclosed herein, the pump 7 being able to draw liquid fuel from the reservoir 5 only when the system is in normal operating condition and is withdrawing liquid fuel from receptacle 9 at a normal rate. Should the pipe 10 between the burner and receptacle 9 break or should the piping between the pump and the reservoir break, the system is automatically shut down to prevent storage tank 5 emptying its contents on the floor of the room.

To guard against a condition where valve 2l might stick against its seat when float 27 rises or falls, an overflow pipe 38 is led Out of the top of receptacle 9 and into the trip bucket 15. The weight of the liquid fuel entering trip bucket 15 through overflow pipe 38 moves the trip bucket downwardly to actuate motor switch 15, thereby opening the motor circuit and stopping pump 7. Until the defect is remedied, trip bucket will remain in lower position to hold switch 15 open. The system remains disabled and it is thereby impossible to cause any damage as the result of an overflowing of receptacle 9.4 Air may be supplied in various ways to tank 9, as, for example, by the overflow pipe 38.

I wish to stress the point that the novel form of control disclosed herein need not be necessarily embodied in an oil burning system, but may be employed in any liquid system employing a pump to pump liquid from one tank to another. Various modifications of the details disclosed may be varied Without departing from the scope of the invention. I believe that I am the first to provide a control of the present type, which is independent of the pump itself, and which operates against the actlon of the pump to control the flow of the liquid.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a tank having liquld inlet and outlet connections, a source of liquid supply for said tank, air venting means operatively associated with said source of liquid supply and communicating with said tank, a float in said tank, and a valve actuated b y said {ioat and constructed to open said an1 venting means when said float is in its uppermost position, to close said air venting means when said float is in its intermediate position, and to open said air venting means when said float is moved downward to its lowest position.

2. In combination with a liquid feed tank and a source of liquid supply therefor, means for maintaining the liquid in said tank. at approximately a constant level, comprising air venting means having` an air vent operatively associated with said source of liquid supply, a valve for said air vent, and a float in said tank for operating said valve to open and close said air vent, said valve being constructed to close said air vent when said float is in its intermediate position and to open said air vent when said valve is in its upper and lower positions.y

3. In combination with a liquid feed tank, a source of liquid supply and a pump for drawing liquid from said source of supply lll air vent, and a oat in said tank, said valve being constructed to open said air vent when said float moves to lower position.

4. In combination with a liquid feed tank, a pump for supplying liquid thereto, and means for controlling the suction pressure of said pump comprising a float in said tank and an air valve so constructed as to open when said float reaches its upper osition, to close when said float reaches an intermediate position, and to open when said ioat reaches a lower level.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

LAWRENCE M. PERSONS. 

